The Gant that Stole Christmas
by PatillianAdventures
Summary: Apollo Justice is having a rough Christmas, and things take a turn for the worse when he realizes that the man leaving packages under his Christmas Tree is not Santa Claus, but Damon Gant! Can Apollo turn things around and save Christmas? Will Athena ever notice his affections for her? Will PatillianAdventures ever learn to update regularly? All these answered and more!


Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read! As most of you know I am currently working on an extensive Phoenix Wright fic with the amazing Universal Lord Genghis Khan. For those of you that have waited so patiently for us to release chapter 2, I think you'll be pleased to know that we've hammered an outline of not one, but of twenty-six chapters to lead into an epic trilogy. Thank you for bearing with us and being so patient, we hope to give you something worth reading soon! Anyway, we have bit of a friendly-rivalry streak, and in the midst of outlining the third book, we decided to challenge each other to a contest: see who could write the best Phoenix Wright Christmas story ever. We decided on a points system based on number of reviews and follows, and promptly shook on it in person the very next morning. This is the fruit of my labor and my entry into the contest. I hope you'll take the time to read his as well; you'll see that he's included it as a chapter of his fic "Anything and Everything". Sorry about the long author's note, I know that's tacky.

Happy Holidays!

Patillian

The Gant that Stole Christmas

Every inch of the Wright Anything Agency had been decked out for the Holidays. Shimmering ribbons sparkled shafts of green and red light around the room, plump balloons floated lazily in the air, jingle bells huddled in clusters on the wall, and a lone spear of mistletoe hung at the ready over the couch. Apollo Justice lounged in the armchair adjacent to it, busying himself with casework in the midst of the festivity. Sounds of Christmas music floated in from the radio in the kitchen, where he could hear his half-sister Trucy merrily humming along as she baked gingerbread cookies for the first time. From the dreamy scents wafting about him, Apollo concluded that her endeavor must have been successful. He shuffled the papers in his hand: an autopsy of a drowned man, potentially involved with a local gang, a mug-shot and profile of a woman accused of robbing a jewelry store, notes on trials from the previous week, and a report of the findings in a recent investigation. This is what he did when he was nervous. When all else failed, Apollo would immerse himself in casework, the lifeblood of his career. There was something almost comforting about occupying himself in the familiar trains of thought, especially when there was something he was too anxious to think about. Yet, his nerves grew harder and harder to ignore, the more she appeared on the pages in his hand. Though they were just subtle traces, like records from her cross-examinations, and a few mentions of her name, he felt his cheeks burn a little more with the discovery of each one. Apollo sighed. Even his his mental-safe haven intertwined with her, was there no refuge?

"Apollo!" Phoenix Wright emerged from his office, sporting a tacky, yet cozy-looking Christmas sweater, embroidered with little frolicking reindeer. It was enough to make Apollo crack a half smile.

"Come on, Apollo, it's Christmas Eve!" Phoenix playfully chided the younger Attorney, "You're gonna end up as boring as Edgeworth! There will be time for casework later, take a load off! Enjoy yourself!"

"Right, sir," Apollo nodded respectfully, "just getting a jump on things before our next sessions."

"Bah," Phoenix swatted casually at the air, "courts won't adjourn again until after New Year's; you'll have plenty of time to prepare before then. In the meantime, relax! Go change into something more comfortable for the party, our guests will be arriving any minute now." He glanced to the slide, before adding slyly, "Surely you wouldn't want Ms. Cykes to see you still in your work clothes?"

"R-right sir," Apollo stuttered, feeling a surge of butterflies in his stomach at the mention of Athena's surname, "I guess it's about time I got ready for the party!"

"That's the spirit!" Phoenix clapped him on the back, before lowering his voice to a whisper, "and don't stress over it, Apollo, you're going to do just fine."

"Stress over what, sir? I'm fine." Apollo tried to look confused, like he didn't know what Phoenix was talking about. The older attorney just winked.

"Of course you are." He added gently, patting his shoulder, offering no explanation for his peculiar comments. With that, he walked off to join his adopted daughter in the kitchen, humming to the lyrics of Andy Williams' _Happy Holidays_.

"'cuz just exactly at twelve o'clock, he'll be comin' down the chimney, down!" Apollo heard Trucy chime in, before giggling at Phoenix's hopelessly off-key singing. There was a reason he couldn't play piano well.

Apollo hurried up to his room to change, feeling a small sensation of hope easing the knot in his chest. "_Maybe, Phoenix is wright"_ he assured himself, pulling a black turtle neck over his head.  
"_This could be the day_" he thought, smoothing his hair in the mirror. He teased his horns with some hair-gel, before thinking with more resolve, "_That's it then, today's the day. I'm gonna do it, I'm really gonna do it this time_". The faint cracking sound of the front door opening followed by an familiar, bright, upbeat 'hello!' told Apollo it was go time. He looked himself up and down one last time, beaming with confidence, "_I'm gonna sweep Athena off her feet!_"

Trucy's gingerbread cookies were a hit. Amid the buzz of cheerful conversation and lulling tones of Christmas music, Apollo noticed many a party-goer returning to the table, each time disappearing with another tempting cookie. Their numbers dwindled quickly, picked off one-by-one by hungry guests. Edgeworth had snagged at least seven by now, by Apollo's count, with Phoenix beating him out by just two gingerbread men.

One of Apollo's favorite things to do at a party was people-watching. When he wasn't caught up in a conversation, he liked retreating to a chair with his glass of bubbly grape juice (Phoenix always served his favorite drink at parties), and watching the social sphere turn around him. Usually, he found observing more enjoyable than participating.

Larry Butz was over by the punch-bowl with Edgeworth, motioning crazily with his hands as he told some outrageous joke, before bellowing a hearty laugh and slapping his knee. His guffawed expression faded into one of awkward confusion, as his seemingly hilarious joke had elicited no reaction whatsoever. Edgeworth just stoically nodded in acknowledgement, politely sipping his punch. Larry was not deterred, however, and continued to throw ridiculous humor at him, being disappointed each time with the same result. He eventually slunk away in defeat toward circle of girls, like a dog with a tail between his legs.

Phoenix had started up a poker game in the corner table between himself and the Judge. Clearly, by the number of _Rolos_ Phoenix had stacked on his side, the Judge wasn't much of the 'poker head' that he used to be. He was sweating profusely, while Phoenix just smirked with an infuriating calm. Finally, seeming pleased with himself, the Judge laid down his hand, confident that the tables were about to turn. However, the self-assured, proud smile remained on Phoenix's face as he gently laid his cards down. The Judged roared, flipping the table in a fit of rage. All activity nearby froze, as they stopped to stare at the usually calm Judge's sudden outburst.

Apollo's gaze turned to a make-shift dance floor that a group of girls had started down by the radio. Trucy had taken her shoes off and was spinning around in circles holding hands with Pearl, laughing and giggling happily. Maya was rockin' and jammin' in her own style, dancing like nobody was watching. Robyn was doing the twist. Juniper Woods was trying to mimic Athena, who was twirling and moving to the rhythm in a few simple dance moves. Apollo's wandering gaze rested on her, blue eyes sparkling with life, fiery hair trailing behind her as she danced around, flashing a dazzling, gorgeous smile. He couldn't help but stare; she really was something to marvel at. He'd rushed out of his room to greet her the minute he heard her walk in the door, and they had been engaging in a surprisingly pleasant conversation, though Apollo couldn't remember what it had been about, only that he enjoyed watching her talk. She excused herself to go say hi to Juniper. Since then Apollo had held fragmented conversations with Edgeworth and Hugh O'Connor, but neither individual was any more socially inclined than he was, so it had dissipated quickly. Now, he wondered if he should try interacting with Athena again. He rose from his chair, leaving his introversion and committing to venture back out into the social world.

It was then that he noticed Larry Butz prancing around in the center of the girls, busting moves that hadn't been attempted since their merciful deaths in the seventies. They hadn't been flattering on anyone then, and they certainly weren't now.

"Radical!" Larry howled, twiddling his thumb and pinky in the air, "eyyy ladies, check this one out!"

Apollo laughed as the girls slowly inched away from him, and watched as Larry flopped on the floor and undulated widely, taking a stab at what Apollo believed was called 'the worm'. However, it looked more like it should be called the 'dying fish-flop'. The girls wore priceless expressions of bewilderment.

"Uhm," Trucy whispered to Athena, cautiously, "…is he ok? That looks painful…"

Athena shrugged, "Maybe somebody spiked the punch."

"I'll bet he spiked his _own_ punch," Juniper stated flatly, rolling her eyes. The others nodded in agreement.

"Aw man," Robyn shook her head in disapproval, "that's not how you do it, here, watch!" She dropped to the floor, bobbing and weaving in more fluid, controlled motions. The other girls circled around her, mesmerized by her graceful execution.

"Whoa!" Pearl exclaimed.

"Amazing!" Juniper gasped.

"Yeah," Athena did a fist pump, "Go Robyn!"

"Go Robyn! Go Robyn!" the girls repeated in a collective chant, "Go Robyn! Go Robyn! Go Robyn! Go Robyn!"

"Haha, check this!" Robyn chuckled, the attention making her more bold and daring. She then swiftly kicked out of her worm position, sweeping her legs around herself in a smooth break-dance, "Huh!" she breathed, concentrating. The girls cheered even louder, this time clapping while chanting. Robyn swirled faster as their cheers grew louder, until she was barely visible in a blurry, euphoric whirlwind. Suddenly, the music changed, from the resonant, wild pump to a slower, gentler melody. Apollo looked around the room and saw that the adults had moved the furniture back, widening the dance floor considerably.

"Ok everybody," Phoenix called out, "partner up!"

People began pairing up, and some had already done so without Phoenix's request. Apollo cringed, expecting Juniper to fly at him before he had a chance to ask Athena. To his surprise, he noticed that she was already dancing with Hugh. He looked around and realized that pairs were forming around the room rather quickly. Maya had gone for Phoenix, and strangely enough, Robyn made a b-line for Edgeworth. Though Apollo never expected Edgeworth to be the dancing typing, he gaped in awe as Edgeworth graciously accepted Robyn's hand, proceeding to lead her effortlessly around the room, as though he were a professional ballroom dancer. He certainly was the classy gentleman! Trucy and Pearl were skipping around giggling, not really as formal dancing partners, but they were adorable friends, and no one had the heart to ruin their fun.

Now was the time to make his move. He pictured himself dancing around the room with her, as dream-like and airy as Edgeworth. He would sweep her off her feet, smiling romantically and mysteriously, and then dip her under the mistletoe. Glowing with a desire for this fantasy to come true, Apollo scanned the room for her.

"Athena!" he called out, nearly having looked right passed her, "Athena, would you like to dance with- huh?!" Apollo did a double take. Athena was dancing with… the Judge? What? Why him?! He rubbed his eyes, not believing what he was seeing. What the heck?! Disappointment and frustration washed over him in a bitter, salty tide. Apollo didn't think it could get much worse, that is, until he realized who that meant was left to dance with him. That realization alone was horrible enough to have been sent from the pits of Hades itself. Apollo's face dropped to a sickly white. This couldn't be happening.

"Hey, 'Pollo!" Larry Butz staggered into him, obviously intoxicated, "Haha!" he hiccupped, "guess you're the lucky fella tonight! Let's dance, babe." Apollo leaned as far away from Larry as his neck and back would allow, eyes widened in horror. He struggled in protest, but Larry had a good grip on his leading hand and around his middle, clamping his free arm to his side.

"Ugh!" Apollo grunted as Larry stepped on his foot, looking furiously around the room for someone, _anyone _else. As luck would have it, Larry Butz was truly the last person left on the dance floor without a partner, the last person besides himself of course. Reluctantly, Larry led Apollo around the room in a drunken frolic. Apollo feared the burn of the humiliation would cause him to evaporate. He could hear the couples around him trying to suppress snickers as Larry whirled him around in dizzying circles like an unfortunate rag doll. Not surprisingly, Phoenix did nothing to conceal his amusement, and howled with laughter when they bounded past. Apollo gritted his teeth, struggling not to vomit.

"Aah!" Apollo exclaimed, shifting their momentum away from the lamp Larry had almost sent them careening into.

"Time to switch!" Phoenix shouted after what seemed like forever. Apollo wriggled free of Larry and darted like a madman to the opposite side of the room, accidentally pushing Larry into a very unfortunate Miles Edgeworth. No matter who his next dancing partner turned out to be, it was _not_ going to be Larry Butz.

His next partner turned out to be Juniper, who was a very good dancer, though his previous partner wasn't a hard act to beat. He mouthed an apology to Edgeworth, who seemed to be just as pleased to dance with Larry as Apollo had been, if not less. Although instead of leaping around like a crazed frog, Larry seemed to be in the weepy stage of his stupor. He all but collapsed into Edgeworth's arms, wailing about every girlfriend he'd loved and lost, how much he still cared about her, and how beautiful she was. Edgeworth gently patted him on the back in consolation, though his face remained stunned in a permanent expression of shock, as though he was at a loss for what to do. He glanced uncomfortably around the room searching for someone to save him. Phoenix continued to shake with laughter, Trucy with him in their little Daddy-Daughter dance. Juniper seemed absorbed in the situation as well, lucky for Apollo. He wouldn't have been able to have come up with anything to talk about if her attention had been on him.

At the announcement of the third and final switch, Edgeworth practically threw Butz at Phoenix, irked by his shenanigans, must to the amusement of the other guests. To add insult to injury, Edgeworth then proceeded to dance with Maya. The roar of laughter and 'Oooo!'s cresendoed to an almost deafening level. Defiant to humiliation, Phoenix took Larry by the hand and romped wildly around the room, making cheeky faces at Edgeworth all the way. Couples had to stop dancing and lean on each other they were laughing so hard. The Judge crumpled to the floor, red in the face, unable to stand it all. Even Edgeworth felt a smile crackling along his face at Phoenix's ridiculous antics.

Apollo made one last try for Athena, but much to his dismay, Hugh had already snagged her. Though, much to Apollo's relief, she didn't seem to be enjoying it very much. He ended up with Trucy, who was more than pleased to dance with her older half-brother. She charmed him the way little sisters do, with her contagious giggles and grins. Apollo found himself swept up in her merriment, ending the swirling, twirling dance by hoisting her high above his head.

"Whee!" Trucy cheered, spreading her arms like a bird in flight. After holding her there for a few seconds, Apollo pretended to drop her, grabbing her shrieking form at the last moment. He laughed at her priceless expression, and she joined him once she realized his trick.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, pulling his horns over his face in playful retaliation. Apollo looked up as he fixed his hair, and caught Athena smiling at him. They both quickly looked away, slightly awkward and embarrassed. Apollo turned his attention to tickling Trucy, not daring to look up to see if she was watching him again.

After the party was over, everyone returned home except for Athena, who had stayed behind at Phoenix's request to review some casework. Apollo plopped down on the lonely couch, heart sagging as low as the old cushions. He clicked on the television, lazily resting his head on his chin as he flipped through the channels, every single one devoted to old Christmas movies. He selected one at random, and watched as Cindy-Lou Who deduced that the prowler in her house was definitely _not _Santa Claus. Apollo found himself drifting off out of attention, mind wandering to the events of the party. Phoenix was right, he had enjoyed himself, but though he'd had a good time, he was no closer to admitting his feelings for Athena than before. And boy was he brooding over it. He listened enviously as Phoenix chatted away with her in his office. Phoenix didn't even have feelings for her, and yet he was the one having better luck! Apollo frowned grumpily at the unfairness of it all. What he wouldn't give for just one moment alone with her, then, he swore to himself, he would not waste the opportunity…

"Hey," Trucy bounded onto the chair beside him, carefully avoiding the mistletoe trap, "It's getting awfully windy outside; I can hear it from my room."

"Mmm" Apollo grunted in half-hearted understanding, flipping to the weather channel.

"Are you ok, Polly?" Trucy raised an eyebrow at him, "You look sad."

"I'm ok, Truce," he lied, "just tired, I suppose"

He put a finger to his temple, massaging in tight circles. Trucy didn't look convinced, as Apollo appeared more stressed then tired, but the weather report blared its emergency tone before she could press further.

An overly-effervescent weather woman informed them of a flash snowstorm,

"…with an impressive accumulating about five inches in the past hour! Los Angelous police urge the public to _please_ stay indoors at this time, as the apparent white-out is quite a hazard. Stay safe and Merry Christmas, this is Rhonda Burgundy signing off!" she exaggerated a wink through her fake eyelashes.

Through his state of glumness, Apollo's first rousing thoughts were concern for Athena. If she hadn't decided to stay and review casework with Phoenix…

"Oh dear," Athena appeared suddenly behind him, a hand to her mouth.

"Oh dear indeed," Phoenix agreed, "I'm afraid we can't allow Ms. Cykes to walk home in such weather. Could we offer you refuge here for the night?"

"That would be lovely, thank you!" Athena nodded.

"Yay, sleepover!" Trucy cheered, grabbing Athena by the hand, "C'mon, you can sleep in my room!"

"Oh, ok!" Athena followed, before flashing a smile and shrugged at Apollo as her reaction to Trucy's enthusiasm. Apollo quickly sweetened his moody frown to a sympathetic smirk and quickly rolled his eyes, caught off guard by her interaction. Then she disappeared with Trucy, leaving Apollo hoping that this was the opportunity he was waiting for.

Apollo had quickly showered and changed into pajamas, hoping to bid Athena and Trucy good night before he retired for the evening. Sadly, he found them sound asleep on Trucy's bed, bottles of nail polish scattered about the floor. Hopes dashed yet again, Apollo gathered the bottles and replaced them on Trucy's dresser. He pulled a blanket up to their chins before turning off the lights and sulking back to his own bed.

Try as he might, Apollo found that he couldn't sleep, his heart too heavy with the day's disappointment. Instead of tossing and turning, he resorted to spending most of the night staring moodily outside his window, watching the silent snowfall. It had softened from a blizzard to a gentle dusting of flurries, and eventually, a few shafts of moonlight cast themselves over the foot of his bed, indicating that the storm had passed. Apollo sighed. It was awfully chilly, being alone. His thoughts turned to the criticisms that creep out of the darkest corners of the mind when one tries to fall asleep. _Athena obviously isn't interested in me_, he thought to himself, _I mean, why should she? Why would she want to go out with me anyway? I'm boring, uninteresting, not attractive, and I did accuse her of murdering my best friend...though that did turn out to be a horrible misunderstanding._

His thoughts were interrupted by a noise on the roof. Apollo froze. The last time he'd heard a noise like that, he had been a boy, alone in the orphanage, waiting for Santa to come. Apollo crept silently from his bed, opened the window, and peaked up at the roof. He couldn't believe his eyes; a sleigh!

A tingle of excited chills shot up Apollo's spine. In his mind, he was small again, with a fuzzy, brown duck tail sticking up off his head instead of horns. All of the other children were asleep, but Apollo was certain he's heard something. He slipped silently out of bed, cradling his beloved Teddy in his arms, careful not to let any stuffing fall out of the gashes that Butch had put in him earlier that day. Apollo caught him when he lied about stealing Annie's dolly. He then confronted Butch and told him to stop stealing the other kid's toys because it wasn't nice. However, since he obviously cared more about other's stuffed animals than his own, Butch had ripped Teddy from his arms and was stabbing him viciously with a dinner fork.

"No, stop!" little Apollo sobbed, "Stop hurting Teddy! STOP!"

"Heh," Butch sneered, "what's the matter, little Polly? You turning into a little girl? 'Cause you sure crying like one!"

"Teddy!" Apollo continued to wail, desperate for the ordeal to stop. Annie cowered in the corner, tears streaking her cheeks because she was too afraid to stand up for Apollo. The other children had backed away in silence.

Now, Apollo carried his wounded friend with him as his tip-toed down the hallway, the noise growing louder. Finally, Apollo peaked curiously around the corner. His little eyes widened with delight. There, like a dream, stood a man dressed in a suit of red with white trim. His smile shone through his puffy beard like sunlight breaking through clouds, nose perched on top like the maraschino cherry on vanilla ice cream. There, standing in the flesh, in Apollo's orphanage, was none other than Santa Claus.

He turned to face Apollo, still beaming warmly. Their eyes locked, those filled with wonder meeting the ones full of love. Santa winked and tapped the side of his nose, before disappearing in a cloud of sparkles. Panicked, Apollo scurried back to bed, hiding under the covers, fearful that he had just scared Santa away. However, upon waking the next morning, he discovered Teddy on his pillow, completely repaired, no longer winking at him through one shoe button eye, but staring proudly through two. Apollo squeezed Teddy tight, weeping tears of joy. He had never more grateful for anything ever in his life. Beside him on the pillow was a note that read simply, "_You've been a very good boy this year_".

Now a grown man, Apollo had never gotten to thank Santa for his kindness, and he hoped now he would be able to. He soundlessly opened the door, and looked down from the landing at a dark figure hunched over, placing packages under their battered Christmas Tree. Larry had tackled it earlier, begging it no to leave him again, mistaking it for a past girlfriend. Edgeworth had begrudgingly peeled him off, bidding Phoenix good night before walking Larry home, still ranting about women. Apollo had to hand it to ol' Edgeworth; he was a very tolerant fellow.

Summoning all his confidence, Apollo crept down the stairs, determined to finally express his gratitude. He approached the figure eagerly, before pausing apprehensively. Something didn't feel right. As he got closer, he realized Santa looked different. A lot different. He could have sworn his suit had been red, but the suit he was wearing now looked more orange, and the white trim was gone. He also seemed, thinner, though Apollo supposed this didn't necessarily indicate that it wasn't Santa. Maybe he was watching the cookies this year.

Yet, as 'Santa' rose to full height, Apollo immediately realized it wasn't him. Santa's hair didn't plume at the top, nor did he have a well-kept fringing beard outlining a rugged jaw. And Santa's glasses certainly didn't have a purple sheen.

"W-who are you?! You're not Santa!" Apollo exclaimed, startling himself almost as much as the fellow by the tree. He hadn't heard Apollo creep up behind him, and wheeled around to face him in alarm. His expression darkened into an unsettling smirk as he recognized the young attorney.

"Ah, you must be Apollo Justice, ol' Wright's newest blood," he spat, "pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Can't say I can extend the same compliments," Apollo crossed his arms, "now, I won't ask again, who are you, and what are you doing here?!"

The old man laughed, "What, Wright hasn't told you about me yet? Surely he was going to eventually, one doesn't just let the careers he's destroyed slip his mind."

"Oh," Apollo slapped his forehead in realization, "_you_ must be Damon Gant: former chief of police, and finest example of judicial corruption at its worst" Apollo wrinkled his noise in disgust, "I was tasked with studying the SL-9 case in law school."

"Very good," Damon mocked, "I suppose there is hope for the education system after all. Now, if you'll excuse me," he glanced casually at his watch, "there is much I have to do before midnight. I must bid you farewell and… _Merry Christmas_," he derided, bounding up the chimney. Apollo clenched his fists, Chords of Steel flaring to the max.

"COME BACK HERE!" he roared, "DAMON!"

Apollo sprinted up the stairs to his room, climbing out the window, and riskily heaving himself onto the snowy roof. The snow stung his hands and bare feet, but he leapt into the sleigh, tackling Damon just as it took off.

"Persistent little pest, aren't you?" Damon growled, struggling to escape Apollo's grip.

"YES, I AM," Apollo retorted through gritted teeth, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH SANTA CLAUS?! AND WHY?!"

"So many questions," Damon sputtered through Apollo's choke hold, "patience, my boy, I assure you, Santa has been taken care of," he grinned evilly.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!" Apollo demanded, feeling the sleigh lurk sickeningly. He didn't dare look over the edge, knowing his fear of heights would put him at a disadvantage.

"Like I said," Damon restated calmly, "I took care of him…just like I will take care of you!" he declared, using Apollo's uneasiness to roll himself on top. Helplessly pinned, Apollo tried in vain to resist as Damon pushed him closer to the edge, keeping a crushing grip on him as Apollo's head dangled dangerously off the sleigh. The harsh winds whipped painfully across his face. Unfortunately Apollo looked down, and was quickly overcome by a bout of dizziness and nausea. Panic gripped him. He hyperventilated and trembled uncontrollably in terror, the whites of his eyes widened like that of a doomed rabbit; prey at the hands of a merciless wolf. Damon cackled with malevolent pleasure.

"Swimming, anyone?!" he sneered before hurling Apollo into the chilly night air. The fall was surreal to Apollo, too stupefied by vertigo to scream. He felt as though he was suspended in the air, watching the sleigh grow smaller as it sailed away. For a moment, his mind was blank. He forgot he was falling; it was almost pleasant. Earth below him, floating weightless, he gazed admiringly at the moon and stars, thinking to himself how lovely they looked, shining like pearls in the inky black.

Splashing down on the surface of the lake shattered his trance, the icy cold sucking his breath away. Regaining his senses, he realizes in terror that he can't scream out for help, or breath for that matter. Luckily the commotion he made back at the agency woke Athena, Phoenix and Trucy.

"Apollo? Apollo?! Athena called out immediately upon waking, shooting up into a sitting position. Something was wrong. She wasted no time racing out of bed, just in time to see Apollo's foot disappear out his window.

"Apollo!" she ran to the window, though he hadn't heard her as he was focused on chasing down Damon.

"Out here!" she heard Phoenix call by the front door. Athena remerged from Apollo's rom in time to see, Trucy hurried passed her and down the stairs, pulling on a jacket as she ran.

"Look!," Phoenix gasped, motioning for Athena to come outside and see what he was pointing at in the air. Athena leapt down the stairs before jogging out the door passed Trucy as she stuck her bare feet in a pair of snow boots. Luckily, Athena had fallen asleep fully clothed, so she didn't need to waste precious time putting on shoes. From the looks of it, Phoenix had done the same. She darted outside and looked to where Phoenix was pointing. Her jaw dropped into the snow. There, in the sky, was a sleigh flying through the air, towed by eight tiny reindeer. They hear the unmistakable echo of Chords of Steel coming from the sleigh, and proceed to run out into the street after it, Athena taking the lead.

"Oh my gosh," Trucy exclaimed, pointing at it, "something just fell out of it, look! There! Over People Park!"

They raced around the block to the park and hear a loud splash, leaping over the closing fence just in time to see Apollo drowning.

"APOLLO!" Athena screamed. Without a moment's hesitation, she sprinted down the dock and dove into the frigid waters, adrenaline from running giving her just enough vigor to for the rescue. Phoenix and Trucy follow behind on the dock, watching as Athena tucks one arm around Apollo's chest, using the other to paddle back to the dock. They exchanged worried glances and help lift him out, then giving Athena a hand as well. Apollo was shivering violently in his soaked pajamas, hair plastered flat against his head. He coughed in a raspy bark, struggling to empty his lungs of the freezing water and breathe at the same time. His chest heaved and contracted heavily. Phoenix stripped off his own jacket and did his best to wrap Apollo in it, rubbing his shoulder furiously.

"Polly!" Trucy exclaimed, "what happened?! Are you ok?!"

"Settle down, Trucy, give the boy a chance to breath," Phoenix instructed, "help me rub to keep him warm!"

"Who did this?" and irate Athena demanded, starting to shiver herself after her brisk swim.

"D-D-D-D-Damon Gant!" Apollo wheezed through chattering teeth, "H-H-H-He pushed…St-St-St-Stole sleigh…"

"Calm down, don't rush yourself," Phoenix tried desperately to warm him, "we need to get you home and into dry clothes!"

Apollo nodded in agreement, allowing Phoenix to pick him up and carry him there, not wanting to freeze off his bare feet. It was a bit difficult getting him over the fence, but they managed, and hurried the rest of the way back to the Agency.

Happy to be dry and in clean clothes again, Apollo huddled next to Athena in a blanket, sipping herbal tea for his cough. Phoenix paced anxiously about the kitchen, finally able to reach Gumshoe.

"Hey Richard, sorry to wake you, yes, I know what time it is, yes, but we've got an emergency on our hands. Damon Gant is back. Yes. I said Damon Gant. Yes, I know." He lowered his voice and continued the conversation below earshot. Apollo held the warm tea in his hands close to his chest, appreciating the warmth.

"So, what did you think of Phoenix's crazy couple dance?" Athena asked, looking more adorable than ever with her hair down, curled in a blanket. Apollo could barely believe she was trying to make small talk with him. He breathed, letting go his insecurities and doing his best to give her the natural conversation he'd always wanted to have with her.

"It was interesting," he said honestly, chuckling, "although I must admit, I was quite shocked when I looked over and saw you dancing with the Judge, though I know he's got a thing for pretty ladies" he teased. Athena laughed, blushing.

"No, no," she assured him, "I saw Larry coming over, and he looked like he was gonna try and dance with me. I panicked, and the Judge was the closest person, so I asked him to dance with me to avoid Larry."

"Hah, I see," Apollo laughed, finally understanding and making sense of the situation that before had him so puzzled, "having danced with him myself, I completely understand wanting to avoid it at all costs," he winked.

"Yeah, sorry you had to go through that," Athena rubbed the back of her neck, "it was really sweet of you to dance with Trucy like you did though. You two were adorable!"

"Thanks," Apollo smiled gratefully, "I noticed you watching us. I assumed it was because I looked silly though."

"Nooo," Athena laughed, "No, just the opposite. It was so precious, and it was really nice to see you treat her like such a gentleman."

"Thanks," Apollo shrugged, "I try."

They stared at each other for a moment, smiling, mirth shining in their eyes. Apollo loved hearing the sound of Athena's laugh, and even more so did he love the way she was looking at him now.

"Guys!" Trucy called out in alarm from under the tree, interrupting their moment.

"What's the matter, Trucy?" Apollo asked, rising from the couch. Wait, the couch? Shoot! He'd been under the mistletoe with Athena for a good, solid chunk of time, and not thought to kiss her once. He glanced longingly at the tragically forgotten spear, kicking himself for another wasted moment.

"I unwrapped one of the presents and found a _bomb_!" Trucy shouted, panicked. Apollo rushed to join her and Athena under the tree.

"Good thinking, Trucy," Apollo commended her, trying to calm her down, "Damon definitely wouldn't have left us ordinary Christmas presents, you may have just saved us!"

"Oh, really?" Trucy looked pleased with herself, "yeah, I guess I did!"

"Hmm," Apollo inspected the bomb, "it's a time bomb, set to go off at midnight." He recalled something Damon said to him earlier, something about having a lot of work to do before midnight.

"So that means we only have until Midnight to stop him," Athena inferred grimly, "half an hour to stop whatever he's doing."

"What _is _he doing though?" Apollo pressed a finger in the middle of his forehead in thought, "Is he leaving bombs in all the houses, or just ours?"

"We lost him flying over People Park," Athena mused aloud, "and, from the looks of it, he was flying east…the same direction as the courthouse!"

"Then that's where we'll go," Phoenix entered the room, clapping his hands together, "I just got off the phone with Gumshoe; he's having his forces sweep the city for bombs. In the meantime, he wants us to do some investigating to see if we can't get more information on his whereabouts. You guys up for it?"

"Definitely!" Apollo leapt up.

"Me too!" Athena replied.

"Yeah, let's go save Christmas!" Trucy cried.

The walk had been long, but went much faster as they were pressed for time, turning a thirty minute walk into a twenty minute jog. Sure enough, they saw Damon perched on the roofs of the courthouse, stolen sleigh behind him.

"Hold on," Apollo put up a hand, "Something's not right here. He's just…standing there. Watching. Like he's waiting for something. Hang back in those bushes, I'll go check it out."

"I'll have phone ready to call the police, should anything go wrong," Phoenix assured him.

"Thank you," Apollo acknowledged before turning to leave.

"Wait!" Athena whispered, grabbing his arm.

"What?" Apollo turned back to here, concerned.

"…be careful. Please." She instructed, fear in his eyes. Apollo softened, wanting to reach out and console her, pull her close, and make this the romantic moment he'd been hoping for. However, he glances at the clock, reading "11:50". There is much at stake and no time to lose, and snapping back to reality, he reminds himself once more that this cannot be the moment. Instead, he smiled bravely.

"I will. I promise." He assured her, meaning it, before running off to confront Damon, leaving his friends concealed in the bushes.

"Ah, back from your little swim, Justice?" Damon remarked casually, as though this were small talk in the office, "refreshing, wasn't it? I keep telling you uptight attorney folks to try it; really helps you…chill out." he smiled wickedly, as though the words left a pleasant, dark flavor on his lips.

"What are you playing at, Damon?" Apollo demanded, slightly irked by his twisted casualness.

"Ah, I guess you must have found my little present," Damon shrugged, "no matter. There's nothing you can do about the timer, or the other lovely plethora packages I've left around the city. I hope you weren't too fond of your...silent night."

"What?!" Apollo shouted, horrified, "you've left bombs _everywhere in the city?!_" He glanced down at Phoenix's hiding place, silently pleading that he had the sense to call the police. If there were bombs in every single house, set to go off at midnight...they needed to act quickly.

"Yeah, I made sure everyone got a present. You know how the little kiddies would get if Santa didn't bring them anything."

"I should say they would have been better off without one this time!" Apollo retorted.

"Of course," Damon continued, ignoring Apollo's comment, "they aren't_ all _explosives, no, those were saved for the especially naughty ones, the ones that had the audacity to destroy my career," Damon examined his fingernails, "but, for those undeserving to be on that list, I gave them a few playthings of mine. Smoke bombs, flash-bangs, hallucinogenics, mustard gas, and the like; all my little chaos makers. Yes, this is going to be a good Christmas indeed."

"You're mad!" Apollo utilized his chords of steel, in disbelief of what he was hearing.

"Oh, I'm mad alright," Damon chuckled dangerously, "mad at Phoenix, mad at Edgeworth, mad at Ema, mad at the Judge, mad at what this city did to me…" he ranted, voice swelling with rage, clenching his fists as a vein in his forehead pulsed. Then, as quickly as it came, the storm passed, his face a terrifying calm, "but that will all be expunged by the night's end, and I'll get to watch the glory of the fruits of my labor from up here. Care to join me? We can watch the city burn together. At this point, there's nothing else you can do."

"Sorry Damon," Apollo snarled, steadfast, "but I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that doesn't happen." Damon just bellowed a hearty laugh.

"Oh, but that's the beautiful part," he jeered, "there's nothing you _can _do. And I will get a front row seat to the delicious look of despair on your face!"

"I won't give you that satisfaction!" Apollo roared, "I'd rather die trying to defuse the bombs!"

"But you can't!" Damon cackled, "The bombs can't be defused unless I will it. I have the controls you know, and there's no way I'm gonna stall the show!" he triumphantly waved a remote control at him.

_Brilliant_, Apollo thought, _you've told me everything I need to know, you dumb grinch_. _Now to get that remote!_

Suddenly, the confidence on his face melted into something more crestfallen. Apollo feigned defeat.

"Wow, I guess there really is nothing I can do…" he moaned hopelessly, "You're really going to blow it all up?" he asked, "everything?"

"Everything." Damon confirmed proudly.

" ...even the orphanage?"

"Yes, even the source of all of your nightmares cannot escape my wrath. Come on, Apollo, join me! We'll watch it burn together," Damon extended a hand.

"N-no," Apollo pretended to resist, stamping his foot like a small child, "that is behind me! All my friends, they will die!"

"They're not your friends," Damon puffed, "just watch, they'll just as soon stab you in the back as they did to me. Then where will you be? That's right. On the receiving end of a guilty verdict. And nobody likes that. Especially when their plans were so fool-proof."

"Especially that Phoenix fellow," Apollo agreed darkly, "I've never felt comfortable trusting him. He's more two-faced than a counterfeit coin, and worth just as much."

"Hey…" Phoenix hissed from the bushes, before Trucy silenced him.

"Shh, Daddy, he doesn't mean it! He's just playing him up!"

"I know, but still…"

"Quiet," Athena whispered, "if Damon hears you, he'll know something's up! We have to be quiet for Apollo's sake!"

On the roof, Damon continued to bait Apollo. He knew that gaining the young attorney on his side would be a crippling blow to Phoenix.

"But, he's my boss...would he really do anything to hurt me?" Apollo doubted, trying to sounds as convincingly conflicted as possible. Glancing again at the big clock in front of the courthouse, Apollo figured he'd better get there soon. Two minutes. If this was going to work, he needed to do it now.

"People are tricky, cunning creatures, only out for their own gains. People will do anything to rise to the top… and stay there," Damon growled, "I'll bet he'll feel threatened by you soon enough, and, mark my words, he'll sacrifice you for the sake of his reign."

"I guess he has been the most renowned defense attorney for quite some time now," Apollo pondered, "but now I'm rising through the ranks too...some even call me a prodigy…"

"That's right, you're a threat to Phoenix's career. It won't be long before he decides to dispose of you, trust me," Damon grinned.

"Well," Apollo looked down at the ground, then back up at Damon with resolve, "...then I guess I need some vengeance too," he stated, starting to climb up the fire-escape to where Damon stood.

"Smart boy, I knew you'd come to your senses," Damon mock-praised, as Apollo grew closer and closer, "come, let's watch the glory of oblivion together."

"Right…" Apollo stepped on to the roof, walking towards Damon, blood pounding in his ears. If this didn't work…

"Just picture it, in a few short moments, this wretched silence will be broken and-HA!" Damon seized Apollo's arm as he reached for the remote, "GOTCHA!"

"Augh!" Apollo's heart sank, realizing he'd been caught.

"Though you were clever, eh Justice? Tricking me, so you could make a grab for my remote? Think again!" Damon spat, "I was on to you from the beginning, but I played along… I figured it would be more fun to watch you fall to your death!" Damon swung to knock him off the roof, but Apollo clung to his captor, using his momentum to toss him over his shoulder and pin him to the ground.

"Oh, I knew you wouldn't be that stupid," Apollo flicked his eyebrows dangerously, "but there is something you haven't accounted for."

"And what is _that_?" Damon growled, struggling to get out from under his sturdy grip.

"That I carried one of your little presents with me in my pocket," Apollo smirked, "just in case I needed to use it as… persuasion."

Damon's eyes widened in terror, but quickly furrowed to a more skeptical look, "...you're bluffing." It was Apollo's turn to laugh.

"Nope, I wish I could say I was but, in about thirty seconds, your revenge will be exacted but, unfortunately, neither you nor I will live to see it."

"You're bluff-" Damon was about to repeat, but then he heard the tell-tale tone of a countdown resonating from Apollo's jacket pocket. The color drained from his face.

"What'll it be, Damon?" Apollo challenged through gritted teeth, "the remote, or will these be the final moments of our lives?"

Damon's expression darkened into an unstable, murderous smile, "At least I'll die with the satisfaction of having killed Apollo Justice!" he declared, before ripping the remote from his pocket and hurling it into the air.

"NO!" Apollo shrieked, diving for it as it fell past the roof. He caught it, but in doing so had unfortunately allowed Damon to get up.

"Die!" Damon lunged, planting a lethal punch into the concrete where Apollo's head had one been. Luckily, Apollo had rolled out of the way.

"Come on," Apollo fiddled with the remote, glancing again at the clock. Ten seconds. Just as he found the "deactivate" switch, Damon blind-sided him with a hard right-hook. Apollo staggered, dazed, before ducking out of the way of a second blow. Doing his best to ignore the somewhat debilitating, pounding, aching pain radiating from the side of his head, Apollo fumbled once again for the switch. Five seconds. Damon charged once again to strike, but this time Apollo was ready, dodging and then smashing him upside the head with the remote.

Trucy, Phoenix, and Athena had emerged from the bushes, watching helplessly as the clock ticked away the horrible seconds. They anxiously looked on as Apollo tangled with Damon, mentally screaming for Apollo's success. Four seconds. Damon deflected another blow. Three seconds. In quick succession, Apollo took a punch to the mouth, followed by a vicious knee to the abdomen. Two seconds. Damon delivered a final, powerful roundhouse kick that sent the remote sailing through the air and Apollo off the roof. Once second. They watched powerlessly as the controls shattered on the ground.

"Apollo!" Athena screamed, racing to the base of the building to catch him before he met the same fate as the remote.

Doom echoed over the sleeping city, still as death, as the gothic tower struck midnight. Every tone was the reaper's cry. Every bong surged the frozen attorneys with terror, as they fearfully awaited their impending fate. They pulled together, dreading what was to happen next.

Almost as terrible as the clock's ringing was the silence that followed. It lasted an eternity. The anticipation could have killed them. Yet, nothing. They braced themselves, blood chilled stagnant in their veins. Yet, still nothing. The tension faltered, though somewhat uneasily. Was it wrong to hope that…

"Hey!" Trucy exclaimed suddenly, holding up a piece of the broken remote, "look! The switch is flipped down; Apollo did it!"

Sweeter words had never been spoken before, ever, in the history of man: '_The switch is flipped down'_. Beautiful. Just, beautiful. Someone ought to turn that into a t-shirt.

A mighty cheer rose up among them, along with relieved fits of laughter and tender hugs.

"He did it!"

"Yeah, Apollo!"

"Oh my God, Apollo!" Athena exclaimed, panicked. All the while they had been cheering for the limp, unconscious figure in her lap; the hero of the day, the man who saved Christmas. She hadn't realized how ugly his wounds were until now, though Damon would need to try harder to hide the handsomeness in his face. It looked bad. He needed medical attention. There was a collective gasp, and Athena whimpered, trying not to cry.

"Is he...dead?" Trucy asked fearfully.

"No sweetie," Phoenix reassured her, "just unconscious. But we need to get him back to the agency and call a doctor."

"Oh Apollo, you saved us…everyone" Athena stroked his face, gazing at his beaten, battered form, lip trembling, "and you did it, so bravely, no matter what happened to you…" a tear escaped as she squeezed shut her eyes in an effort to fight them, and it dripped down her cheek onto his.

"...thank you."

Just then, will Christmas miracles never cease, Apollo stirred. Moaning, he blinked furiously as his vision swam into focus, though he could see better out of his right eye than his swollen left one. It felt like an elephant had stomped on his head. Then he made sense of the forms before him.

"...Athena?" he mumbled weakly.

"Apollo!" she exclaimed, relieved.

"Daddy, Polly's ok!" Trucy cheered, hugging her father, who chuckled.

"Yes, yes he is."

"I got to the switch," Apollo murmured, words slightly garbled, "...is everyone ok? Did I do it?"

"You did it, Apollo," Athena hugged him to herself, "everyone's fine!"

"Good," Apollo exhaled, closing his eyes again, relaxed.

"Let's get you home, Apollo," Phoenix rose, lifting Apollo from Athena's lap as though he were only a small child, "you've earned yourself some rest, and I need to call a doctor."

"Thank you," Apollo responded, "I think I can walk though, Mr. Wright," he asserted, not too keen on the idea of being carried like a baby. Yet his gait was unsteady and wobbly, and Phoenix caught him before he hit the ground.

"Here," he lifted Apollo's arm over his shoulder, understanding his not wanting to be carried, "let me help you then."

"Me too," Athena offered, taking his other arm, "I think you've fallen enough tonight."

"Thanks," Apollo chuckled.

"Wait!" Trucy piped up, "What about Damon?"

"Oh!" Athena exclaimed, "I'd almost forgotten about him!"

"Wait here," Phoenix instructed, shifting Apollo's weight onto Athena, "Hmm, It seems quiet up there, and the sleigh is gone...but I'll go check it out just to be sure." Phoenix ascended the fire escape, cautiously keeping an eye out for any sign of a potential ambush. The other three held their breath as his disappeared over the top. After a few long moments, Phoenix reemerged with a smile on his face.

"It's ok! Damon's _all _taken care of!" he called down, before descending back to the ground, a rolled-up scroll in his hand.

"What do you mean, 'all taken care of'?" Apollo questioned.

"Come on," Phoenix hurried back to Apollo's untaken shoulder, smiling even wider, "I'll show you when we get back."

Apollo sat propped up in bed on soft pillows, with fresh, clean bandages, and pain meds starting to kick in. Athena and Trucy were by his bedside, laughing with him and telling jokes while they waited for Phoenix to finish talking to the doctor. Their laughter and pleasant conversation rang like bright bells, filling his room with a festive feeling. He was comfortable, cozy, and smiling. Best of all, Athena was close enough for him to reach out and touch her hand if he wanted to. Finally, he was feeling good.

"Ok," Phoenix entered, closing the door behind him, "So," he clapped his hands together, "Doc says Apollo has a black eye, a broken nose, two fractured ribs, a lot of bruises, and he wants us to monitor him for signs of a concussion. None so far though, so let's keep our finger's crossed...ok?"

"Ok" everyone agreed. It was good that he had addressed Apollo's injuries, but they all knew there was something else to expect. Something they had been sitting on pins and needles waiting for.

"Now," Phoenix produced the much anticipated parchment from his coat-pocket, "I'll bet you're all curious as to why I left the roof so certainly," everyone nodded, and Phoenix cleared his throat.

"It appears someone decided to save us the trouble and wrote a nice little note for us:

'Dear Wright Anything Agency,

Thank you for your help in bringing down this naughty boy! He knocked me out and left me tied up in my sleigh. When I came to, I realized what had happened and everything you did to stop it, and I must say I couldn't be prouder of your hard work. I always keep an emergency sledgehammer in my sleigh for situations such as these, so I lay in wait for Damon to return to my stolen sleigh and then gave him what was coming to him. Needless to say, I used to be a profession baseball player, and a designated hitter at that. Damon will be lucky if he wakes up in time for New Years. I have taken the liberty of depositing him at the local police station and I don't think he'll be giving you guys trouble for a very long time. You have been such good little boys and girls this year, keep up the good work, I couldn't be prouder!

Yours Truly,

S.C.'

"Wow!" said Trucy, "A real, live letter from Santa Claus! Told you he was real," she quipped, punching Athena in the arm.

"Come on, Trucy," Phoenix chuckled, "it's time to go back to bed. We need to give Santa the chance to make up for lost work!"

"Ok," Trucy yawned, rubbing her eyes, "Good night Polly, night 'Thena" she walked off with Phoenix, leaving Apollo and Athena alone.

"I guess I should be getting back to bed too," Athena sighed, though she made no move to do so.

"Yeah, we've had quite an evening," Apollo agreed, though he was silently, desperately praying that she would stay just a moment longer. An awkward silence filled the room as Athena remained.

"Hey," she broke the silence, "I'm sorry you got hurt," she said sadly, "but you were really brave, out there, I mean," she rubbed her neck uncomfortably, "I mean, you're always brave but...what you did back there, the way you stood up to Damon like that…I really admired it…and…"

"Thanks," Apollo saved her from her uncomfortable rambling, "I'm glad you think so… I wish I could be brave like that all the time…"

"Oh?" Athena questioned, "but I thought you were brave all the time, at least, from my perspective."

"You think so?" Apollo laughed, "there are some things I'm definitely not brave with…"

"Like what?" Athena inquired, tilting her head to the side. Apollo gulped.

"Like… things in my heart," Apollo rushed out before he could reconsider what he was saying. He bit his lip, nervousness rising in his chest.

"Oh, me too," Athena looked relieved, surprisingly, "I guess a lot of people are."

"Yeah," Apollo replied, immediately kicking himself for how dumb that sounded.

"You see," Athena took a deep breath, a look of hesitant resolve in her eyes "I wish I could be as brave as you, because then, maybe, it wouldn't have taken so long for me to admit...um" she cleared her throat, "Apollo, I've known you for a very long time and, well, what I've wanted to tell you is that, I… like you."

The words hung in the silence as the meaning of what Athena just said washed over them. She nervously tensed her hand, avoiding eye contact, unconsciously playing with the edge of his bedsheet, closing her eyes and humbling herself to the mercy of whatever Apollo's response to her confession would be. Apollo just raised his eyebrows in shock. Then his expression softened.

"That's funny," he started calmly, trying to control the wavering cracks in his voice, "because I've been trying to admit to same thing to you."

"...really?" Athena met his gaze for the first time, hopefulness sparkling in her eyes.

"Yeah," Apollo laughed, "I've been trying to tell you all night!"

"Ha," Athena giggled, face burning red, "T-that is funny!"

"I know!" Apollo returned the uncomfortable giggle. They sat there for a moment, eyes locked, letting their giggle fit of relied fade into smiles of understanding. Apollo placed his hand on hers, noticing how warm, soft, and slender it felt under his own. They felt a glow rising inside them, like a sunrise flooding the dark, beautiful, wonderful, and singing for joy. He may have a broken nose, a black eye, and a potential concussion, but, Apollo thought to himself, at least he wouldn't have to suffer with an aching heart this Christmas.

Suddenly, the space above his head sparkled with familiar magic. Apollo looked on child-like wonder as the mistletoe from the couch materialized above his bed. Athena raised her eyebrows in wonder.

"What, never seen Christmas Magic before?" Apollo teased her warmly. Athena smiled.

"No, but I do think we're about to have some more." She winked, before leaning in and kissing him. Apollo put his arms around her, sinking into it. Apollo could have wept with joy, but just kissed her more passionately, trying to tell her without words just how much she meant to him, how happy he was to have her here. She must have gotten the message, because she returned it with equal tenderness. It was the most wonderful thing he'd ever felt, with the most wonderful person ever. Stars danced in his head, which he hoped was from the kiss and not a sign of his concussion.

"I love you"

"I love you, too"

Then, Apollo opened his eyes to see that something else hung beside the mistletoe. It was a small parchment, which simply read, "_You've been a very good boy this year_".


End file.
